[ad_1]
Mascom, Botswana’s leading mobile telecommunications network service provider, held its sixthday The annual Batanani Walk took place in Francistown over the weekend and this year the focus was on raising awareness about digital safety. The theme of the charity walk was “Working for Digital Safety”.
The event was part of Mascom’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. The walk, which included three categories – 5km, 10km and 15km, attracted many participants from the second largest city and neighbouring villages. The chief walker and guest speaker for the event was First Lady Neo Masisi.
Mascom Chief Executive Officer, Dzene Makhwade-Seboni, who gave a brief introduction to the event, said that since its inception in 2019, the Mascom Batanani Walk has donated proceeds from the walk to many issues such as raising national awareness on gender-based violence (GBV), mental health, substance abuse and child protection.
“We do this every year when help is needed to make a positive impact in the lives of Batswana. The walk is more than just a sporting activity or a gathering. It demonstrates our collective strength and determination to walk for change,” she said.
Seboni stressed that the goal of the Mascom Batanani walk is to address social issues currently plaguing the country. She added that as Mascom, they not only invest time and energy in developing advanced technologies and providing affordable services, but also play an important role in driving meaningful impacts on society.
“We realize that technology continues to be a catalyst for positive change, and so does digital security. It is with our unwavering commitment that this year’s Batanani Walk emphasizes and highlights the importance of cybersecurity. We stand up for digital security,” added Seboni.
She heaped praise on First Lady Neo Masisi for her advocacy to change the social issues currently plaguing the country, especially gender-based violence and child protection. However, Seboni said the use of technology is essential for the development of children and the advancement of the lives of the people of Botswana. She said that while technology is important, there are also risks associated with cybersecurity
“Ensuring the safe use of technology is extremely important. Mascom recognises the growing importance of technology and equips everyone, especially our young people, with the skills to use the internet safely,” she explained.
First Lady Neo Masisi commended Mascom for organizing the annual Batanani Walk, saying the event continues to have a positive impact in the community. She said this year’s event is very important as it aims to raise awareness among the people of the country on digital safety, health and community spirit through the power of sports.
“As we live in an increasingly digital world, digital security is more important than ever. This event is in line with Botswana’s Cyber Security Strategy, which includes digital security as one of its key strategic objectives,” she said.
Funds raised from this year’s event will help Cybersmart Botswana strengthen its nationwide digital safety campaign and raise awareness of cybersecurity, especially at the secondary school level.
Cybersmart Botswana is a public education program launched in Botswana in 2020 to promote digital literacy by raising public awareness on cybersecurity and the development of the digital economy. The goal of the program is to promote the responsible, safe and meaningful use of digital technologies, primarily the Internet. Mascom is partnering with the organization for the first time at this event to promote its digital safety campaign.
The first lady said the internet is an incredible resource that provides a wealth of opportunities for learning and communication, among other important issues. But she said it also carries significant risks, especially for young people who may not always be aware of the dangers.
“These risks include online scams, cyberbullying, inappropriate content and online gender-based violence,” she warned.
[ad_2]
Source link
